


The Hunt

by Talesofivylight



Series: Being Raised by a Werewolf [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Family, Gen, Godfather Remus, Harry is raised by Remus Lupin, Meddling Dumbledore, Original Character(s), Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-02
Updated: 2018-03-02
Packaged: 2019-03-25 19:45:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13841727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talesofivylight/pseuds/Talesofivylight
Summary: The year is 1981 and Severus is wallowing in sorrow over the loss of his best friend. The temptation to harm himself is thwarted however and he is sent on a mission to find ones who are lost to the wizarding world. Meanwhile, Remus continues to enjoy his new life with his godson, only to realize soon that he is not the only person who wishes to keep Harry for himself.





	The Hunt

**_November 4_ _th_ ** _**, 1981** _

Severus sat in his armchair in front of the fireplace in his quarters at Hogwarts, swirling the scotch inside the tumbler in a slow methodical way as he wallowed in sorrow. It had been four days since Lily was murdered. Four days since he walked into that house and held her lifeless body in his arms as he sobbed along with the brat that brought the demise of the woman he loved.

No… that wasn't right. The Potter kid wasn't at fault. Harry Potter didn't ask to be born and he didn't ask for a prophecy to be made about him; a prophecy that he, Severus Snape, eavesdropped on and didn't get the full information of before running off to tell his master about it. No, if there was blame to be placed, it was at Severus' feet. If he hadn't said anything, then Lily wouldn't have needed to go into hiding. She wouldn't have let that idiot Potter choose his best friend as secret keeper and that bloody traitor wouldn't have betrayed them. Severus didn't even know that Black was a spy. He would have suspected that blubbering coward, Pettigrew, as he seemed the type, but as he was obliterated by Black, there was no doubt in his mind that he wasn't the culprit. Now…

Now she was gone…

Forever…

"DAMN IT!" Severus yelled as he threw the filled glass into the fire, causing the blaze to roar to life as the liquid-fueled the flames. The young man- who became the Potions professor at this blasted school at the start of the second term when the previous professor, Horace Slughorn, saw the opportunity to retire finally- covered his eyes with one hand and sobbed miserably. He thought about those lovely green eyes that used to fill with laughter as their owner laughed at some joke passed between the two friends, and then he remembered the dreadful day in 1975 when he single-handedly ruined their friendship; a friendship he knew was irreparable.

Until he got a package in the mail today.

 

_***Earlier today*** _

_Severus was genuinely surprised that he even got mail that day. Then his paranoia kicked in: who knew about his role in the Potter's deaths and were they out to get him? He cast spell after spell to ensure it wasn't poisoned, a curse, or a bomb of sorts to end his miserable life. When he finally deemed it safe, he opened the brown paper wrapping and immediately recognized the journal laying on the paper. With shaking hands, Severus picked up the navy-blue potions journal that once belonged to his best friend and stared at the gold writing on the cover and where she spelled on the additional title for the journal as it only used to read, 'journal'._

**_Potions Journal for the Intellectual Mind_ **

**_Property of Lily Evans_ **

' _Why…how…who sent this?' he wondered._

_He got his answer in the form of a short but concise letter from one of the last people he ever thought would send him anything._

_Severus,_

_Lily asked for this potions journal to be sent to you in her will._

_I will let you know, I do not agree with her decision in the least, especially after what you did to her and the emotional trauma you put her through that we had to fix, but it was her decision nonetheless, so I honored it, even if you are a Death Eater. I made a copy of it and gave you the original. Use it as you will, I could care less what you decide to do with it._

_Remus Lupin_

_Severus crumpled the letter and tossed it over his shoulder, but his mind was still reeling over the fact that Lily specifically requested her journal to go to him. Why? He called her that awful, unforgivable word, and even though she forgave him for that and he never used it again, he couldn't follow with her ultimatum to stop hanging out with the friends that did use the term. Because of his stubbornness and refusal to drop people like Avery and Mulciber as friends, their friendship ended. So why would she leave him one of her most prized possessions?_

_At that thought, Severus figured it was another practical joke on the last Marauder's part, but then why would he go to such lengths to do something so cruel? As much as he didn't like those blithering jokesters, Remus Lupin was not the cruel one out of the quartet. Whatever this was, Severus was struggling to believe this was a gift from Lily. He flipped through the book, stopping when between two pages laid an enveloped with his name on it in Lily's handwriting. Again, his hands shaking as he put the book on the desk, Severus picked up the letter and read it.*_

_That was when he knew Lily was a benevolent person, has had been and in his heart, always will be._

_He also knew he needed a drink after that._

***Current time***

 "Lily," the emotional Potions Master cried into his hand. He couldn't take the guilt that wracked through his body.

With tears on his face, he looked at the potion bottle on the table in the kitchen. It contained a heavy and very lethal sleeping potion and he intended to take it. He didn't deserve to be alive, not when an innocent woman was murdered in cold blood by a madman. His decision was made. He didn't care about his classes. He didn't care that he was deserting his post as a spy for Dumbledore. He only cared about the one person who made him happy until he ruined that relationship like he ruined everything else. He got up, put the journal on the little table near his chair, then moved to the kitchen where he picked up the bottle of potion with its swirling purple liquid and un-stoppered it. He looked at it with disgust, though the disgust was more so at him as he was disgusted with himself. Taking the coward's way out was befitting of a coward, just like him.

With one last thought about the woman he loved, Severus brought the bottle to his lips…

"I had hoped you had a bit more fight left in you, Severus," a voice said from the other end of the room.

Severus turned quickly at the voice that invaded his quarters. His elbow knocked into one of the kitchen chairs, however, and knocked the potion right out of his hands. He watched as it shattered on the floor, the purple liquid splashing on his feet and clean tile.

"Bloody hell, old man! Look what've you made me do!" the younger wizard growled at his elder as he glared at the man.

"Better out than in, or so the muggle saying goes," Dumbledore said offhandedly as he walked over to the chair across from the one Severus was sitting in and took a seat himself. "You wouldn't happen to have some tea, would you my boy?" Severus' eye twitched but he acquiesced and retrieved the teapot to put it on to boil and gathered the cups and tea to prepare them.

Dumbledore watched as his youngest employee busied himself in the little kitchenette of his quarters for a short while before the potions journal on the little table near him caught his attention. He picked it up and examined the blue cover and the gold writing on the front. His eyebrows disappeared into his hairline as he read the name of the owner.

"I must ask, Severus, where did you retrieve this journal?" the older wizard asked curiously.

Severus turned with a tray laden with the tea items. "It was delivered to me this morning," the potions master replied as he eyed the book that Dumbledore was thumbing through.

"From who? Surely not from Lily herself."

Another twitch in the eye. "That blasted wolf of yours sent it to me. Said that it was in Lily's will that I receive her book," he responded while keeping the original letter from Lily to himself.

"Her will?" Dumbledore asked and Severus could swear that the old man seemed to sound a little put out now that the mention of a will was made.

"Yes," the young man said slowly, "I would assume she and Potter would have created one the minute that their child was born as a madman was hunting them," he paused as he observed the old wizard, before asking, "Is there something you know about that, Headmaster?"

Dumbledore closed the book and put it back down on the end table by the chair. "No, my boy. I was just a little surprised that you were privy to the knowledge of the Potter's will, let alone Remus being privy to it," he took a sip of his tea before adding four cubes of sugar to it, much to Severus' disapproval. "It is actually Mr. Lupin that I have come to speak to you about."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "And why, pray tell, would I be even remotely interested in whatever goes on with that wolf?"

Dumbledore stared at his employee with a hard glint in his eyes, which surprised Severus immensely as he was used to seeing the man with a twinkle in his eye. "I would hope you would be interested in Mr. Lupin as it appears that he has disappeared about two days ago."

"Again, am I supposed to care where he has gone to?"

"Harry Potter has also disappeared. On the same day that Remus Lupin disappeared."

Severus paused at that, his cup of tea halfway to his mouth. He slowly lowered it back onto its saucer before placing the saucer on the table. "You're not serious, Headmaster."

"I do enjoy a good joke now and then, my dear boy, but I would not find laughter in a kidnapping. Especially when the kidnaped child is The-Boy-Who-Lived."

Severus sat back in his chair and stared at the fire. Lupin disappeared two days ago. Lily's child has also gone missing. They disappeared on the same day, which would only conclude one of two things: Either Lupin died in a gutter somewhere and the child was misplaced by his relatives, or Lupin actually had the audacity to kidnap Lily's child. Why did it seem nothing could ever be simple for him? He looked at the Headmaster wearily.

"So? What exactly would you like for me to do, Headmaster?"

Dumbledore steepled his hands, leaning his elbows on his knees and his chin on his hands. "I need you to find them, Severus."

"Why me? I'm quite sure there are plenty of other people who are quite capable of finding two missing wizards. Like the Auror force for instance."

"I ask you because I know that you are far more capable than the people in the Auror force. Not to mention that they probably won't spare too many members right now as they're rounding up the rest of the Death Eaters, and you're on that list if you didn't know. I'm sure you wouldn't want to be sent to Azkaban. It's quite easy to prevent that cell with your name on it if you search for Remus Lupin and Harry Potter."

Severus knew blackmail when he heard it. He's lived with it for years and worked with the king of blackmail for about three years now. He narrowed his eyes at the Headmaster who just smiled in return. "I trust you, Severus. I know that you will find them. We need to make sure that Harry is safe and sound and you're the only one I can trust to do that properly."

"Are you sure this isn't just to save face as the child was supposed to be under your care and since he's gone missing it would be  _you_ who would be blamed for his disappearance?" Severus asked.

Dumbledore put his hand on his heart. "I truly do not know what you mean, Severus. I care about the well-being of Harry and he should be back at home with his family. Remus Lupin is not fit to take care of the boy-"

"That's for damn sure." Severus interrupted nastily.

"And is acting on emotions instead of with logic. Severus, I'm pleading with you now to find them."

"And my classes? I do have to teach, Albus."

Dumbledore stood up. "I'm sure you will be quite capable of multitasking, my boy," he said with finality as he walked over to the door and left the potion master's quarters.

Severus stared at his door for quite a time after the Headmaster left. He should have said no to the request, but if he did he also knew that when the Aurors came to take him to court he would be left to rot in a cell in Azkaban without the old man's help. If searching for a man who didn't want to be found was all he had to do to get out of a life sentence, then that's what he would do.

His eyes turned to the potion journal on the end table. Picking it up he thumbed through to the first page.

Tomorrow. He would start tomorrow.

***~*S.T.S*~*A.D.*~***

**_July 31, 1983_ **

"Oh my goodness, look at you!" Mari cooed as she picked Harry up as he ran by, "you're so big now, Harry! What has your godfather been feeding you, kid?"

Harry giggled, showing off his full set of baby teeth. "Food, siwy," the three-year-old replied, "I go pway now?"

Mari chuckled and gave her favorite little man a hug before setting him on the grass. Harry took off as soon as his feet touched the ground and he ran to the group of kids that were currently playing on the slide near the middle of the park. The werewolf walked over to where the parent of the birthday boy was cooking on the grill and poked him from behind, or tried to at least. Remus quickly turned and swatted her hand with the spatula he was using to flip the burgers.

"Ow," the younger werewolf said sarcastically as she glared at the older werewolf. Remus just smirked in reply and continued what he was doing. "After all the reflex training Gerald has put me through, you should know that I would react differently than I would have two years ago."

Mari pouted. "I didn't think you'd catch on so damn fast. It took me years to get my reflexes down and the old man didn't go easy on me either."

Taking the last burger off the grill and putting it in the pan, Remus turned to his young friend. "I was always a fast learner, Mari, and having Harry trying to play Superman all the time or getting into things he shouldn't, I've had to learn even faster."

Mari laughed. Remus shook his head amusedly. "You laugh now, but wait until you have some of your own. Then we'll see who's laughing once you call on me asking to save you from the terror that is your children."

The two werewolves shared a laugh and looked out over the park at the children and parents that were celebrating Harry's third birthday. Most of the partygoers were members of the Tri-State pack that Remus was now a part of. The party in the park was Mari's idea as Harry's birthday landed on a nice day with no overcast or rain. She had made a point that even if Remus wanted to throw a house party for Harry in the backyard and spend an exorbitant amount of money to entertain the kids, Harry wouldn't remember the day to be grateful for it and it would just be Remus spending money on other people's kids. Another day in the park for the energetic three-year-old plus a birthday party and birthday cake would be all the child needed. Remus could save some money and Harry would still have fun and make new friends while he was at it.

"Speaking of terror children," Mari started as she grabbed one of the beers from the cooler next to the table they were standing by, "I heard from mom that you had a rough shopping day with Harry a few weeks ago."

Remus rubbed a hand over his face at the memory. "He threw a bloody tantrum in the middle of the check out line and wouldn't stop at all. Even in the parking lot he continued screaming at the top of lungs and throwing himself on the ground. All because I wouldn't buy this…toy fan that had candy in it. He didn't even know what it did but he wanted it, and when I put it back out of his reach…Merlin. I didn't know what to do, honestly, especially with all those people staring at us."

Mari chuckled. "As you know, I'm the youngest out of mom's kids and she's pretty well up there in age, so my older sister and brothers used to help her take care of me. I remember throwing a tantrum with each of my siblings as a kid. The first time was with my sister when I was five and she was seventeen. After that tantrum and she took me into the family stall in the bathroom, I never again thought to throw myself on the ground. My brothers weren't so kind and both had no qualms about correcting my behavior in the middle of the store. I tried it once with mom, but then she just called my eldest brother and he came to the house the same day."

Remus laughed lightly. "You were a handful, weren't you?"

"I was the youngest," the young witch shrugged, "I thought I could be special like the rest of my friends who were the youngest sibling in their families and just get what they wanted by screaming. Who knew that my family didn't follow that rule?"

"I honestly wasn't too far off from giving Harry a good smack myself, but he's three. Then this angel came and saved not only Harry but myself from further embarrassment."

"You mean that young lady over there?" Mari motioned over to the teenager playing in the sandbox with Harry and some of the other younger kids.

"Yeah, that's Annie, Harry's new babysitter. From what she told me, she saw my distress and that Harry wasn't calming down anytime soon, so she walked over to us and started talking to him and playing a game. He immediately calmed down. Apparently, the same method worked with her younger sister," he pointed out the little six-year-old on the swing set, "Harry wanted his new 'big' friend, as he likes to call her, to play at the park with him and wouldn't take 'no' for an answer so Annie agreed to tag along today. She's agreed to watch Harry for me on days when I need to run errands, running late from work, or…those nights. That's kind of why I called Acacia and canceled her nights of babysitting."

"You know that mom loves Harry and doesn't mind watching over him."

Remus nodded. "I know, but as you said, she's getting on with age and Harry is so energetic. Better to have a teenager watch over him that can tire him out faster. She's truly a godsend."

Something Remus had said caught the younger witch's attention. "You said she watches him on _those nights_. Did she watch him this past full moon? You've told her about our world?"

Remus looked at Mari with wide eyes. "Merlin, no. She just thought I had to do a late-night shift at work." Annie didn't have a clue that his occupation was teaching, and didn't question him when he came to pick Harry up the next evening.

Mari took a sip of her beer. "Still…it's a dangerous game you're playing, Remus Lupin. You should probably start the process of asking Mr. President if young Annie can know about our world regardless of her being a no-maj. What will happen when Harry begins displaying accidental magic?"

Remus had to admit she had a point. Harry was still young but he was displaying accidental magic at age one before his parents died. It hasn't been frequent since they came to their new home, but Remus was sure it would happen again. "I'll work on it. Thank you for your concern."

"You're my pack brother, Remmy," Mari said casually as she punched Remus on his arm, "looking out for each other is what we do."

Remus grabbed Mari in a half headlock and ruffled her hair making her squeak and fight against his hold. "And you're my annoying pack sister who insists on being right about everything."

"Ah! Remus, let me go!" the younger witch said with laughter.

Remus was about to start tickling the young woman until he felt little hands hitting his thigh. He looked down to see Harry, with a very determined look on his face, slapping at his thigh. "What are you doing, Harry?"

"No hurt Mawi! No hurt!" the birthday boy said firmly. Mari tried to hold in her laughter as she managed to get out of Remus' headlock.

"That's right, Harry. You tell him."

Harry raised his hands up to his cousin, the silent request to be picked up, which the young woman acquiesced in doing. "You're my brave little hero, Harry," she said as she kissed the boy's cheek. Harry hugged her around her neck.

"I protect you."

Mari smiled. "Yes, you did protect me. Thank you, love."

Remus watched the scene with a proud smile. When Harry turned his head to look at him, however, put on a mock pout with a sad face. "Harry doesn't love me anymore."

Harry, ever the people pleaser looked between Mari and his godfather before leaning over to the older man. When Remus took him in his arms, the three-year-old hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. "I love you lots, Moony!"

Remus rubbed his nose against the little boy's. "I love you too, cub."

It was Mari's turn to watch the scene with a smile, except she wasn't the only one watching the duo. All of the party guests in the park watched the scene with some people taking pictures with the cameras they brought along. There was also someone hiding along the tree line who was watching the interaction between the toddler and the werewolf, biding his time before he made an entrance to relieve the diseased man of his charge.

Someone from around the group called out, "Who wants to have a water balloon fight?"

All of the kids cheered with excitement and even some of the adults agreed heartily so long as they could get cool from the hot sun beating down on them. The game was underway with Remus and Mari helping Harry catch some unsuspecting adult -they held the adult or distracted them long enough for the birthday boy to toss his balloon at them- while being drenched with water themselves. After the water fight, some of the kids decided to pour water down the hot plastic slide and slide down the rushing plaything, though Harry only got one turn on the water slide. He slid so fast and landed hard on the dirt under the slide that he didn't want to do it anymore, so he let his godfather change his wet clothes into dry ones so he could continue playing in the sandbox and stay dry with the other young children. 

***~*A.D*~*R.J.L.*~* H.J.P*~***

The person in the shadows watched all of this activity with a touch of sadness, his blue eyes losing their twinkle as he knew that he would have to do something that would break up the little family. But it had to be done. It was for the greater good and one happiness sacrificed would make up for the many who would be hurt or unhappy now. Harry, he was sure, would find happiness with his relatives. They were the boy's family after all and they would raise and take care of him much better than where he was surely living now.

Remus Lupin would just have to move on. He could stay in America for all he cared, but Harry would have to return to England with him today. The old man had just wished that Severus was able to be here with him, but the young lad was off at some conference for Potion Masters. Nothing Albus said or did would make the lad change his mind so Albus left to do this on his own, though he really felt that the young man should be there with him. He had made Albus wait two years before finding their missing hero of the wizarding world for Merlin's sake.

Albus watched as the group of people finished off their food, sang a cheerful song to Harry with Remus right behind him, and then finish off their cake before the children ran off to play again. He watched as Harry was playing with a ball with some of the older kids and one of them tossed the ball to the toddler, only for it to go sailing overhead and land close to the edge of the trees where Albus was hiding. Harry turned around with a smile and chased after it and Albus saw this as his chance to get to the little wizard.

***~*A.D*~*R.J.L.*~* H.J.P*~***

Remus sat at the picnic table talking animatedly and laughing with another parent who was discussing his children and their crazy antics. He was content with the day and knew that Harry would be tired out by the time they reached back home in a short while. Mari and the other women told Remus to sit and relax while they cleaned up as he had pretty much done everything that day for all of the party goers. Of course, the humble man still tried to help with the cleanup process but with a threatening look from one of the mothers, he promptly sat down and took the bottle of beer from one of the men.

He was enjoying the current conversation when Annie tapped him on his shoulder. "Mr. Lupin, Harry is over by the trees. It looks like he's talking to someone…" she whispered frantically.

Sure enough, Remus saw his child holding up his ball at the tree's edge. Of course, the tree was large enough to hide whoever was behind it so he couldn't get a good look at who was talking to his three-year-old, but whoever it was wasn't going to like the fist that he was going to shove down their throat.

Quickly putting his bottle on the table and a sharp order for Annie to stay with the other adults, Remus ran toward Harry's destination, Mari not far behind. She had heard the teenager's whispering and noticed her baby cousin as well. If anyone tried to hurt Lily's kid they were going to regret it.

Harry, on the other hand, was happily half babbling, half talking to the strange man in front of him with the long hair on his chin. He looked like Santa Clause, especially with his blue eyes. Harry wanted to share his ball with the Santa man as he seemed really nice, so he held the ball up higher for the man to take it. Just as the man reached down to take the ball from the happy child, a voice behind the man startled both wizards.

"You have two seconds to move away from my child, Dumbledore," came the menacing order from Remus as he stepped into view.

Harry dropped his ball to run to his godfather but was scooped up in the arms of his cousin instead. The toddler looked between the three adults, wondering what was going on. He pointed to the old man and looked at his godfather. "Moony, lookie! Santa!"

Remus wanted to walk to his child and hold him but he knew that if he moved to where Mari was blocking the older wizard's exit, then Dumbledore would proceed to apparate in the other direction, leaving Remus without answers as to why the old man was in America and how he found them.

"What are you doing here, Albus?"

Dumbledore looked confused and tried to play Remus for a fool. "Whatever do you mean, my boy? It's young Harry's birthday and I came to give him my well wishes."

"Cut the crap, Dumbledore!" Remus said sharply, yet not loud enough to frighten Harry, who was still watching this scene. "You know exactly what I mean. Why are you here, at _this_ park? Why are you in America and how did you come to find us?"

The normal twinkle that was usually in the old wizard's eye vanished as he studied the young man he once taught. "How I came to know that you and young Mr. Potter were living in America after you kidnapped him, is of no concern to you, Mr. Lupin."

"He didn't kidnap Harry, you creepy old man," Mari stated fiercely, "Lily's last request was for Remus to raise her child as if he were his own. From what I understand, you wanted to leave him with my abusive, magic-hating cousin!"

"They would not have abused him, young lady," Dumbledore replied calmly, though, to those who knew him like Remus did, you could tell he was not happy with the intrusion of her statement. "They are his family and family will do anything to protect their own."

Remus scoffed. "You keep telling yourself that, Dumbledore, but I'll have you know that they locked Harry away in a dark broom cupboard for days."

"I cannot believe that, Remus. Petunia wouldn't do that to Lily's child."

"The hell she wouldn't!" This time Remus did shout, eliciting a whimper from Harry who Mari comforted gently as she responded, "Petunia hated Lily because she was a witch. I would know as I am their cousin and seen it with my own eyes."  _Petunia hated us both, honestly._

Dumbledore turned slightly to look at the younger witch, not daring to turn his back to the angry wizard in front of him. "You're related to Lily?"

Mari only gave a nod, deciding to let context clues from her previous statements answer his questions. Remus took over the conversation again. "I asked you a question, Dumbledore. Why are you here?"

"There was a time when you regarded me with respect, my boy. I do wonder when that all changed, the older wizard said with a touch of sadness.

"It changed the day I received Lily Potter's last letter. She knew that you had something planned for Harry and she knew that you were going to try to leave Harry with her horrid sister, and she was right!"

"There was no one else for Harry to go to. Sirius was the traitor and the boy's only godfather-"

"He should have been placed WITH ME!" Remus shouted the last words. Harry whined, huddling closer to Mari. Remus continued, "If you had bothered to read Lily and James' will, you would have known that I was named secondary godfather to Harry."

"You young ones were under a lot of stress during those times. Lily and James were not thinking properly if what you say is true and they named you godfather."

Mari growled, her brown eyes turning a shade of amber. "How dare you…"

"I only speak the truth, young lady. Remus is not fit to be raising the savior of the wizarding world," Dumbledore settled his hard, blue eyes on Remus' amber ones, "I am quite afraid that you would only bring danger to Harry. He must come with me, Remus."

"You've gone mad, Dumbledore," Remus replied.

"I assure you that I am quite sane."

"Then you're a fool," the young wizard said with a wave of his arm to ward off the others. He could feel the other members of his pack watching the scene carefully. If Dumbledore's wand hand even twitched the others would be on him faster than he could apparate. Remus didn't want that, even if the old man may deserve it. "You take Harry from me and you'll be doing the exact crime you accuse me of."

"I accuse you of nothing, my boy. I only speak the truth. If you give Harry to me now, I won't have to involve the authorities about your actions in Britain and you won't have to face Azkaban."

Remus chuckled. "Face Azkaban? You truly do believe that I stole Harry from his atrocious relatives," the werewolf looked at Mari, who caught his gaze and understood the request he was asking of her. If he moved his hand to his wand, the old man would attack, which would cause the other members to attack the old man. However, with Dumbledorf…Dumblebore…whatever his name was, back to her, she would be able to use her own magic to summon the copy of not only the custody papers but the adoption papers that Remus received earlier that week.

Remus saw her move and continued to distract his old headmaster. "The Dursleys quite eagerly and readily signed away their rights to Harry the minute they found someone else who would take him in. They didn't love him. They never would. I wouldn't be surprised if they forgot about him already."

Suddenly three pieces of official paper flew through the trees and stopped to hover in front of Remus. The wizard took them and held them at out arm's length to the elder wizard who looked at them with narrowed eyes. "And these would be?"

Smugly, Remus replied, "Custody papers granted by the Ministry of Magic, Lily Potter's will, and the adoption papers of Harry James Potter-Lupin. You steal this child away from me and it will be  _you_ who spends the rest of his days in Azkaban."

Dumbledore perused the documents and realized the authenticity of each one. He couldn't forge any documents against these even with his powers in the Wizangamot. He would have needed to alter Lily's memory before she completed her will in order to do so. However, even with the documents, Dumbledore refused to let the situation go.

"It doesn't matter, Remus. The boy must come with me." He said as he sent the papers back to their owner with a twitch of his finger.

"You can try, Albus, but you won't get very far with my child," with another wave of his arm, a group of witches and wizards, and even muggles who were attacked by werewolves and were part of the Tri-State pack, emerged from the surrounding trees.

Albus looked at his surroundings carefully and tried to figure out a way to escape this without blood being drawn, mainly his, or curses and hexes being thrown, mainly at him. He wasn't an idiot. He knew that should he draw his wand at Remus he would lose instantly as all of the other members of his pack would pounce on him with wands or fists drawn. He was a powerful wizard but even he could not withstand being overpowered by a group of witches and wizards throwing hexes at him. Still, he had to try to make Remus see reason that his disease was not conducive to raising a child.

"Remus, please think this through. You're not a dangerous person, I know this, but once a month you become a dangerous and dark creature. Harry would be in constant danger living with you. Just look around you!" the old wizard gestured with his arm at the people surrounding them. "You realize that even if  _you_ don't attack Harry, one of your friends will, don't you?"

At this, Remus laughed, but the laughter never reached his eyes. In fact, it seemed to Dumbledore that his comment only angered the younger wizard more, including the rest of the people surrounding them. The old man swallowed nervously.

"I used to think that you were a benevolent person, Dumbledore. Truly I did, but now I see that you are only benevolent and kind to those who you wish to use later on for your own bidding. You use blackmail, guilt, and lies to ensure that you get your way," Remus sneered, almost as good as the young Potions Master, "all for what you consider, the 'greater good'. I never asked for you to let me attend Hogwarts. Am I grateful? Yes, immensely, and nothing anyone says or does will make me ever regret the years at school that your secrets allowed me to have. However, even if I were to allow your attempt at guilt bury me, I, and surely not Lily's cousin, would allow ourselves to give Harry over to a covertly racist, low-down, lying old man who is willing to sacrifice everyone else's happiness for what  _he_ considers a 'greater good'." Remus, keeping his eyes on Dumbledore, walked over to Mari. Harry, scared by the event going on, reached out for his godfather.

"I scared, Moony. I protect you?" the toddler said as he looked at his godfather. Remus hugged Harry close to his chest as he stared at the older man.

"Leave, Albus. Never return here. If I ever need of your assistance, which I doubt I will, then I'll find you, but if you ever come near me or Harry again, or send any of your guard dogs after us, I swear to you that you and anyone you send, will regret it."

Dumbledore opened his mouth to say something but knew it was futile. He lost any chance he had to take Harry back to England with him. He turned to leave the way he came, only stopping when Remus spoke again.

"Oh, and one last thing. Tell Severus to keep his abnormally large nose out of my business. Should I find out he's searching for our whereabouts or stalking us, I promise I will repeat that night from sixth year and finish what was started, and I won't need a full moon to do it."

At that, Remus turned and walked out of the trees and into the park, Mari following them after one last glare at the old wizard. One of the men in the circle shouted something to the others and soon a path was cleared for Dumbledore to walk through safely. He apparated back to the international portkey he had left on a cliff near a waterfall far up north from where he found Harry and took hold of the item. Before he was whisked away, his last thought was,  _'How do I explain this to the Ministry without fault being laid at my feet?'_

**Author's Note:**

> Harry just wanted to share with Santa...awww. We're moving right along with this series. I'm currently writing the main story as I post up one-shots and mini-chapter fics surrounding Remus and Harry. Leave a comment or kudos :D Knowing that people wish to read my works give me motivation.


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